Pete Lane Rai continues his April BIT report about the voluntary work that he had done in Fiji in March
While I was staying in Nadi for most of my visit, I did travel the short 20 km by bus to Lautoka, Fiji’s second largest city for a week end with long-time friends, Rowena and husband, Daesong who, four times a year, organize a week of free Dental treatment to local villagers.
Rowena, as well as being one of the dentists giving the treatment, orders all the dental equipment needed, as well as the visas for the team of overseas volunteers, which recently included students from a Brisbane Bayside School.
Daesong cooks all the meals to feed the team of busy hardworking volunteers and the villagers and their children appreciate all the treatment they receive.
Whenever I am in humid Lautoka, I always run the 10 km loop around the town that includes the one kilometre of sea front. Amongst those walking, fishing or exercising I was pleasantly surprised to see my old friends from Life runners, a Christian group, in their familiar blue shirts. Every Saturday morning, at 7.00am, they walk through Lautoka as a statement that, all life is given from God, it is therefore sacred from conception to a natural death. They are hoping this will cause pregnant women considering having an abortion, to change their minds and think of other options.
In Fiji, abortion is legal if the abortion will save the woman’s life or if the pregnancy gravely endangers the woman’s physical or mental health.
Abortion is also significantly restricted by law in other Pacific Island countries such as Papua New Guinea, Vanuata, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Cook Islands and Tonga.
Later that Saturday morning I was involved with a discussion with some young people about understanding that as our sexuality is also a gift given from God, it is to be valued and wise choices made about sexual behavior. This is a very important message for young Fijians to consider as reports show that the dangers of sexual disease are highest amongst 15- 25-year-old Fijians and that in late 2023, Fijians downloaded enough pornography to fill 20 million books! Certainly, there are some serious sexuality issues to address in Fiji.
So, overall, I had a profitable time in Fiji and hope to return again possibly in September of this year.
By Peter Lane Rai. April 25th, 2024
